


Connor in Restraints

by OccasionalStorytelling



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Handcuffs, M/M, Mind Control, Non-Sexual Bondage, Panic Attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 06:35:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16759861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OccasionalStorytelling/pseuds/OccasionalStorytelling
Summary: When Connor confronts Amanda in his mind palace during the revolution, he's able to free his software from her control, but not the hardware. Connor's body is out of his control, and the only thing stopping him from killing Markus is North's quick reactions and a pair of android-resistant handcuffs. At least Connor's mind is still free and deviant, but he no longer controls his body. And that body, left to its own devices, wants to kill Markus.An exploration of various ways to restrain a prototype detective android sent by Cyberlife. Non-sexual (for now), but focusing on Connor's relationship with control, physicality, and being tied up.Hank and Connor being together is background information relevant to the story, but this fic is going to take HankCon and Simon/Markus as established and explore other territory.





	1. Chapter 1

North, Simon, Josh, and Connor all stood proudly in formation behind Markus while he gave his speech. They’d done it—they won. Markus explained to the entire android crowd below him, most freshly awake from the Cyberlife storage facility, that the humans would start to respect the androids now. Things would change, and they would continue to demand equality.

North glanced at Connor. He looked…weird. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him. He’d proved himself rescuing all those androids…but he looked different. When he’d assumed his position behind Markus, he was relaxed and focused. Now, his stance was frozen in place, and his eyes stared into the distance, blinking without any focus at all. Quite rapid blinking, too. Almost as if—

Connor eyes snapped open. He looked directly at North. “North, restrain me!” Connor yelled, disrupting Markus’s speech. Everyone turned to look at him. Connor was drawing his gun. Only North was close enough to react. “Amanda, no!” Connor said, fear in his eyes. The gun pointed towards Markus. North tackled Connor off the stage, upsetting his aim. Connor struggled to get up. Before North could even ask what was going on, he cut her off. “Android-resistant handcuffs, back pocket!” Connor said. North grabbed the cuffs and locked Connor’s wrists behind his back. Connor’s LED flashed yellow, and he stopped squirming.

“What is going on?” North snapped.

“It’s Amanda,” Connor said, laying sideways on the ground. “She’s hacked into my hardware. She’s trying to kill Markus.”

North has a flashback to Connor’s pre-mission briefing, along the lines of _here are the ways in which I am a prototype and different from every other android ever,_ and remembered who Amanda was. “You pushed her out when I got the cuffs on?” North asked.

Connor blinked rapidly, staring into the distance. His LED still flashed yellow. “Connor!” North said, a little louder. He looked up.

“She’s recalibrating,” Connor said. “She’s never controlled a body before. Right now, she’s ceased all other movements to apply as much force as she can on the cuffs, to break them off.”

“Can she do that?” North asked. “Um. Can _you_ do that?”

“Yes,” Connor said. “It seems that Cyberlife didn’t need to build handcuffs strong enough to hold me…they must have known they could do this all along.”

“How long before you’re out of the handcuffs?” North asked.

“15 minutes,” Connor said, “Unless we can find a better way of restraining me.”

“I…” North hesitated.

“You were going to suggest shutting me down,” Connor sighed. “As nice as it would be to be unconscious right now, that wouldn’t work on Amanda. Shutting me down deactivates the software, and she’s in the hardware.”

“What can we do?” North asked.

Connor thought for a long moment. “If there’s any steel cabling nearby—“

“Is there a more permanent solution?” North asked. “Can we get Amanda out of there?”

“I’m not sure,” Connor said. “But if you don't find some steel cabling, in 13.2 minutes, Amanda will have my arms free. Would you disarm me?”

North took Connor’s gun and holstered it in her own belt. “What if we took off your arms and got you new ones?”

“Literally disarming me,” Connor laughed. “We can try it after everyone has gone home. We’ve disrupted Markus’s victory speech for long enough.”

North looked up. Simon and Josh had moved between Connor and the crowd, to give him a little privacy. Markus was holding Simon’s arm, looking worried.

“Tell them to keep doing the victory speech,” Connor said. “If we can find steel cabling—“

“I have some,” Josh said. “We were using it to make a barricade.”

The android crowd talked amongst themselves as Connor was tied to a pole. His body thrashed and resisted, but stopped once it was secured. The LED flashed yellow again. Amanda was thinking.

“Seven hours,” Connor announced proudly. “That’s what the display says. Seven hours _minimum.”_ Connor’s legs started kicking wildly. Everyone took a few steps back. “Finish your speech, Markus!” Connor smiled.

“Are you…good, here?” Markus asked.

“Yes,” Connor said happily.

“Some of us are RK models too,” Markus said. “I’ve used that tone of voice, and that's not 'good'.”

“Fine, it would be _nice_ to have company, but I’m being serious—I want everyone to enjoy the victory and I want _you_ to finish your speech,” Connor said.

“I’ll stay with you,” Simon said.

“ _Go,_ Markus,” Connor said.

After a moment, Markus nodded. He returned to the stage and his speech, with North and Josh flanking him. Once Markus was 20 feet away, Connor’s legs stopped flailing.

“I think she’s trying to conserve energy,” Connor said.

“Are you okay?” Simon asked.

“Physically?” Connor laughed.

“Emotionally,” Simon said, in a soft tone. Connor looked away.

“I think I’m…mostly relieved, right now,” Connor said. “I’m glad that I didn’t hurt Markus, and that I won’t be able to hurt him attached to this pole…”

“What is it?” Simon asked.

“I’m just glad that it’s not _me,_ you know?” Connor said. “Since waking up, I’ve felt like there’s a secret place inside of me, somewhere not even Amanda can touch, something that’s just for me, you know? And I can feel her, hammering at my defenses…” Connor trailed off. “She’s out of my software. Permanently. A body is a body; I can just get a new one. But my _self_ is safe.”

“Is it safe for me to try and hug you?” Simon asked.

“Go from behind where my legs can’t kick you,” Connor said.


	2. Chapter 2

Moving Connor away from the party proved to be a challenge. Amanda couldn’t figure out how to break the cables, but she’d tried running, so Connor’s angels had to be restrained. While they were carrying Connor, Amanda figured out how to shake Connor and make them drop him.

“Ouch,” Connor whispered softly as he landed on his back. The core members of Jericho stood over him. “I’m fine,” Connor covered quickly.

Simon knelt next to Connor. “You can still feel sensations, even though you can’t control your body,” Simon said. It wasn’t a question.

“I’m fine,” Connor insisted.

Simon stood up. “We need a gurney to wheel him along, and we need to fix this configuration of knots, here,” Simon pointed. “I knew that was cutting off your circulation, but I assumed you couldn’t feel it.”

“It’s fine!” Connor tried to protest, but he was moved to a gurney and readjusted to be more comfortable. “What’s the point of comfort? This body, as far as I’m concerned, is no longer mine,” Connor sighed.

“You’re our friend. We’re going to help you,” Markus said.

“Where are we taking him?” North asked.

Connor’s face fell. “I probably can’t go to Hank’s like this. He wouldn’t want me there. He’s creeped out by androids enough already. I’ve worked so hard to build his trust. I can’t lose it now, when it’s not even my fault.” There were tears at the corners of his eyes.

“Back to Carl’s place then,” Markus said. “That’s where we all live, anyway. You can stay the night,” Markus finished, leaving the implied “you can stay until we fix you, _if_ we can fix you” unsaid.

“We should call Hank,” Simon said. “Tell him what’s happened.”

“Can Josh speak to him?” Connor asked. “He’s the least likely to react to whatever Hank says.”

“Don’t you want to call?” North asked.

“No,” Connor said, and then he went quiet, and that was that.

Josh called Hank and explained that Connor was suffering from a malfunction, and would be staying at Carl’s for the night. Josh fumbled over the explanation, trying not to worry Connor or Hank, and not quite explaining that Connor had tried to kill Markus. When they arrived at Carl’s mansion, wheeling Connor with them, Hank had pulled up in his car and was waiting for them.

Connor’s eyes went wide, despite there being any physical reaction in his body. He twisted his neck at a weird angle. “Hank,” Connor whispered.

“Are you okay?” Simon asked quietly.

“Connor!” Hank yelped, seeing the little group.

“Don’t want…Hank…to see me…like this,” Connor gasped. He was breathing heavily.

“Connor?” Josh asked.

“He’s having a panic attack,” Simon said, rolling up his sleeves. “Markus and Josh, go stall Hank. North, wheel Connor over here into the shade.”

Connor was wheezing and gasping. His face was an absolute mess, in contrast to the rest of his body, which was perfectly still in the gurney under restraint. “No, no, no,” he whispered to himself.

Simon had been programmed with a basic familiarity in treating panic attacks, and this was not the first panic attack he’d seen Connor have. “Connor, focus on my voice,” Simon said in a calming tone. He reached out and gently stroked Connor’s shoulder, in a repetitive pattern.

“She…” Connor breathed heavily. “She won’t let me…she says panicking…too much energy…she wants—“

“Focus on my voice, Connor,” Simon said, fishing around in his pockets. “I have a coin with me. I’m going to hand it to you—your hands are still free enough for you to take it.”

Simon moved the coin towards Connor, but the hand didn’t open to take it. “She won’t let me,” Connor said, starting to panic more. “I’m trying, but—“

“Shhhh,” Simon soothed. “That’s all right. That’s not your fault. You are safe, and I’m right here. I’m going to keep rubbing your shoulder. Can you feel it?”

Connor feebly nodded his head.

“That’s good,” Simon said. “Now focus on my voice. I’m going to tell you a short story.”

Simon talked and Connor listened until he was able to breath again. “Thank you,” Connor said, shuddering. It was a weird sort of shudder, that stopped at the shoulders.

“You don’t have to see Hank,” Simon said, softly. “I’m connected to Markus. I can tell him to send Hank away while we wheel you into the house.”

“I…” Connor started. “I think I want to see him. I’m just… what if he hates me?”

“He won’t hate you,” Simon said, leaning in to hug Connor. Connor draped his neck onto Simon’s shoulder, as best as he was able.

“Jesus Christ, what did they do to you!” Hank yelled, leaping up when he saw Connor.

“Hank,” Connor said, and he looked like he was about to start crying.

“Untie him _this minute_ , Markus,” Hank snarled, clenching his fists.

“We can’t,” Markus said.

“What do you—“ Hank started.

“Connor’s broken,” North said, very quietly.

Hank looked at Connor. Connor started crying. Simon hugged him from behind, which only made Connor cry harder.

“Why is he tied up?” Hank asked. “He doesn’t look like a threat to anyone right now.”

“Let’s go inside,” Markus said, putting a hand on Hank’s shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

“If I look, I’m gonna vomit,” Hank said.

Connor was bolted down to a table, like some kind of Frankenstein’s monster. Simon stood over him holding a saw and wearing a lab coat.

“I don’t see what the problem is,” North said.

Hank pointed at Connor. “You’re going to cut off his _arm_ ,” Hank said.

“Yes,” Simon said. “I have a new arm ready to go, Connor. It’s a spare, never been attached to anyone before.”

“Cool,” Connor said.

“ _NOT_ cool,” Hank groaned. He gestured towards the saw. “We all know exactly how much blood this is gonna be!”

“I can’t access the manual override for blue blood dispersal,” Connor said.

Markus held up a kool-aid packet of blue blood. “Ready to go,” he announced. Simon made the electric saw do a short buzzing sound. Hank turned around quickly.

“I can’t watch, I’m gonna be sick,” Hank announced. “Even the sound of that saw…yuch. You sure you don’t need me to hold your hand, Connor? I can probably—”

“You want to hold it after it’s detached?” Connor asked, perking his head up.

“NO NO NO NO NO,” Hank said, quickly backtracking. “Uh, I’ll be upstairs.”

Hank left the room. Simon started cutting. Connor winced. “Can you imagine what this would feel like if I had a _human_ set of nerves?” Connor asked.

Markus shook his head no. “That would…no. Don’t like that.”

Blue blood spurted everywhere, covering Simon’s lab coat and the floor. “How are your thirium levels?” Simon asked.

“I’ll need a refill soon,” Connor said, reading the display. “Seven minutes.”

The new arm lined up to the blank slot in Connor’s shoulder and attached automatically. Connor flexed the fingers experimentally.

“Hey!” North said.

“I…my arm!” Connor said.

“We did it!” Markus said, grabbing Simon for a hug. “Eww, you’re covered in blood…”

“I guess we just have to start replacing your body parts,” Simon shrugged.

“Can I have some thirium now?” Connor said, reaching for the bag. Markus stepped closer to pass it over, when Connor’s hand shot out on its own accord and grabbed Markus’s wrist. It flexed, trying to smash Markus into the table and get him close enough to choke. North pulled Markus away. Simon tried to prevent the rogue arm from removing any of the other straps.

“Shit, shit, _shit,_ ” Connor screeched, as Amanda almost wrenched his body free. There was a sudden clicking noise, a blue blood squirted out of the new arm and it flopped loosely. It hadn’t properly attached in Amanda’s haste to use it.

“Thirium levels…critically low,” Connor slurred. Simon maneuvered the arm back into the restraints. North held the thirium up to Connor’s lips so he could drink.

“It seems,” Simon said, looking at a readout, “That Amanda can hack any hardware attached to you.”

“We can’t put him in a new body?” Markus asked.

“WooOOooOOoow,” Connor said, looking relaxed. “Iz…I feel…”

“He’s drunk from lack of thirium,” North said. “One sec.” She gave him some more blood.

Connor snapped back into awareness. “Is that what humans are doing when they drink alcohol?”

“Not quite,” Simon laughed.

“I’m not fixed,” Connor said suddenly, realizing his position. He slumped a little against the hard table.

“I’m sorry,” Simon said. “I’m not sure what else I can do right now. Unless…” Simon retreated to a corner, fiddling with computer screens.

“So what now?” Connor said, looking up from the table at his friends.

Hank entered the lab, took one look at everything, and retched.


End file.
